Cancer: Smear tests could help to determine a women’s risk of ovarian cancer says research

This Morning: Dr Nighat Arif discusses at home smear tests

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A smear test is used for cervical screening and is a simple procedure where a doctor or nurse takes a sample of cells from the cervix to look for early changes. The test is vital for spotting any unusual changes and could become a game changer in the future to help determine a woman’s risk of ovarian cancer, says a new study.

Smear tests are usually used to detect abnormalities in cells that could develop into cervical cancer.

Two new studies have indicated that one day they may be used to detect early stages of ovarian and breast cancer.

Research suggests that DNA changes in a woman’s cervix can give warning signs of tumours elsewhere in the body.

Research led by Innsbruck University in Austria found they can also give clues about other cancers.

In the studies of more than 1,000 women, the tests were able to help spot cancers up to seven in 10 times in people aged 50 or younger and five in 10 of over-50s.

Ovarian cancer was particularly important among the researchers being that it is one of the biggest killers of all gynaecological tumours due to its late diagnosis.

Most often in smear tests, abnormal test results means there have been cell changes caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV).

Treatment might be offered to remove the abnormal cells, such as laser therapy and cold coagulation, which burns the cells, or cryotherapy, which freezes them.

Cervical cancer can develop at any time so getting to know your body and what to look for is vital.

Now, experts hope further trials can show smear tests can be used to detect ovarian and breast cancers as well, which could lead to them being used more regularly in the future.

In the study, published in Nature Communications, the use of smear tests in detecting ovarian cancer was analysed.

Cervical cell samples were collected from 242 women with ovarian cancer and 869 without which was led by researchers led by Doctor Martin Widschwendter.

They measured 14,000 specific epigenetic changes — which switch genes on and off — in the cells, which were collected using a smear test, to establish whether there was a pattern in those with ovarian cancer.

After establishing a pattern, they found the samples could be used to correctly identify ovarian cancer in 54 percent of women aged over 50 and 71 per cent of those under 50.

Overall, the tests had a specificity of 75 percent.

Early signs of ovarian cancer include:

• Abdominal bloating or swelling
• Quickly feeling full when eating
• Weight loss
• Discomfort in the pelvic area
• Fatigue
• Back pain
• Changes in bowel habits, such as constipation
• A frequent need to urinate.

Women aged between 25 and 64 are currently invited for regular smear tests for cervical cancer under the NHS Cervical Screening Programme.

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